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EP0267966A1 - Positioning system - Google Patents

Positioning system Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0267966A1
EP0267966A1 EP87903402A EP87903402A EP0267966A1 EP 0267966 A1 EP0267966 A1 EP 0267966A1 EP 87903402 A EP87903402 A EP 87903402A EP 87903402 A EP87903402 A EP 87903402A EP 0267966 A1 EP0267966 A1 EP 0267966A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
positional information
servomotor
movable unit
signal
positioning system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP87903402A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0267966A4 (en
EP0267966B1 (en
Inventor
Shinichi Isobe
Yoshimasa Kagawa
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fanuc Corp
Original Assignee
Fanuc Corp
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fanuc Corp filed Critical Fanuc Corp
Publication of EP0267966A1 publication Critical patent/EP0267966A1/en
Publication of EP0267966A4 publication Critical patent/EP0267966A4/en
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Publication of EP0267966B1 publication Critical patent/EP0267966B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B19/00—Programme-control systems
    • G05B19/02—Programme-control systems electric
    • G05B19/18—Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form
    • G05B19/19—Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path
    • G05B19/21—Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path using an incremental digital measuring device
    • G05B19/23—Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path using an incremental digital measuring device for point-to-point control
    • G05B19/231—Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path using an incremental digital measuring device for point-to-point control the positional error is used to control continuously the servomotor according to its magnitude
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/33—Director till display
    • G05B2219/33254—Serial position feedback, serial to parallel conversion and reverse
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/35—Nc in input of data, input till input file format
    • G05B2219/35545—Serial to parallel conversion
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/37—Measurements
    • G05B2219/37154—Encoder and absolute position counter
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
    • G05B2219/37—Measurements
    • G05B2219/37155—Encoder and delta position counter

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a positioning system for use in a numerical control apparatus, a robot control apparatus, or the like, and more particularly to a positionning system which uses a feedback signal as a positional information signal to effect highly accurate and high-speed positioning operation.
  • FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings.
  • a pulse distributor for generating distribution pulses in response to a tape input or the like
  • 2 a command processor for comparing pulses from the pulse distributor 1 and feedback pulses to issue a servo command signal
  • 3 a servoamplifier responsive to a servo command signal from the command processor 2 for driving a servomotor 4 to actuate a movable unit (not shown)
  • the servomotor 4 including an encoder 5 as a position detector coupled to the shaft of the servomotor 4 for generating feedback pulses 8 as a feedback signal
  • 7 an up/down counter for counting feedback pulses 8, the count being read by the command processor 2.
  • the pulse distribution rate of the conventional systems is of the order of 1 MHz because of the characteristics of the transmission path for feedback pulses.
  • the rate of the resolution "0.1 micron/pulse" at the pulse distribution rate is given by: 0.1 x 10 -6 indicates a numerical value representing "0.1 micron/pulse” in terms of m (meter), 10 6 indicates the transmission rate for feedback pulses (1 MHz expressed by pps), and 60 indicates a numerical value for conversion to a value per minute. From the above equation, the speed of movement of the movable unit is 6 m/minute, indicating a problem that a sufficiently high speed cannot be obtained.
  • a positioning system comprising a servomotor rotatable in response to a command value for moving a movable unit, command means for comparing a feedback signal from a position detector mounted on said servomotor or said movable unit with the command value to issue a servo command value, and positional information generating means for generating a positional information signal indicative of positional information on said servomotor or said movable unit, the arrangement being such that the positional information siganl from said positional information generating means is fed back to said command means for positioning operation.
  • the feedback signal is a positional information signal for the servomotor or the movable unit
  • this signal is read at given periods by a command processor which calculates the distance by which the movable unit is moved from a preceding positional information signal.
  • the range may be expressed in the binary notation as follows: and hence can be represented in 30 bits. If the sampling period of the command processor is 1 ms, then the pulse transmission rate may be 30 bits per 1 ms, Therefore, the feedback signal can be transmitted at a sufficiently low transmission rate.
  • FIG. 1 shows in block form a positioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • a pulse distributor for generating distribution pulses in response to a tape input or the like
  • 2 a command processor for comparing pulses from the pulse distributor 1 and feedback pulses to issue a servo command signal
  • 3 a servoamplifier responsive to a servo command signal from the command processor 2 for driving a servomotor 4 to actuate a movable unit (not shown)
  • the servomotor 4 including an encoder 5 as a position detector coupled to the shaft of the servomotor 4.
  • the encoder 5 includes a counter for counting the amount of movement, and a parallel-serial converter for converting the count of the counter to a serial signal.
  • the servomotor 4 generates a feedback signal 6 indicative of the present position of the movable unit.
  • the feedback signal 6 is shown here as an 8-bit signal for convenience.
  • a serial-parallel converter 7 is responsive to the serial feedback signal 6 for converting the same to a parallel signal.
  • the command processor 2 reads the parallel signal, i.e., the present position of the movable unit, calculates the difference between the present position thus read and the present position in the preceding cycle to detect the amount of movement of the movable unit, compares the detected amount of movement and a command value from the pulse generator 1 to find a servo command value, and then issue the servo command value.
  • FIG. 2 shows the encoder 5 in block form.
  • 51 is an encloder proper for issuing pulses proportional to the amount of rotation of the servomotor
  • 52 an up/down counter for counting the pulses from the encoder proper and issues a value indicative of the count
  • 53 a parallel-serial converter for reading the output from the up/down counter 52, converting the read output to a serial signal, and issuing the serial signal, which is shown as an 8-bit serial signal for convenience.
  • the transmission rate for the feedback signal may be low as compared with the pulse feedback signal, and a wide choice is available of constants of filters for preventing noise in the transmission path, resulting in increased reliability of the transmission.path.
  • the encoder coupled to the servomotor is used as a position detector in the above embodiment, the encoder may be coupled to a ball screw or the like of the movable unit separately from the servomotor.
  • a resolver, an electromagnetic linear scale, an optical linear scale, or the like may be employed as a position detector.
  • the present position of the movable unit is used as a positional information signal in the above embodiment.
  • the amount by which the movable unit is moved in a certain period of time may be detected by the encoder 5 and may be used as a positional information signal.
  • the positioning feedback signal is used as a positional information signal representing positional information. Therefore, a high speed of movement is made possible at high resolution even if the transmission rate along the feedback transmission path is low. Moreover, the reliability of the transmission path for the feedback signal is increased.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Control Of Position Or Direction (AREA)

Abstract

A positioning system which permits a servo motor (4) to run depending upon an instruction value to move a movable part, and which compares a feedback signal from a position detector such as a servo motor with the instruction value to produce a servo instruction value. Pulses from an encoder (5) are counted to generate a position data signal (6) that directly represents a rotational position of the motor (4). The position data signal is fed back to an instruction processing unit (2) to determine the position.

Description

    Technical Field
  • The present invention relates to a positioning system for use in a numerical control apparatus, a robot control apparatus, or the like, and more particularly to a positionning system which uses a feedback signal as a positional information signal to effect highly accurate and high-speed positioning operation.
    • Background Art
  • Conventional positioning systems have employed a pulse train having a certain weight as a feedback signal. One example of such an arrangement is shown in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings. Denoted in FIG. 3 at 1 is a pulse distributor for generating distribution pulses in response to a tape input or the like, 2 a command processor for comparing pulses from the pulse distributor 1 and feedback pulses to issue a servo command signal, 3 a servoamplifier responsive to a servo command signal from the command processor 2 for driving a servomotor 4 to actuate a movable unit (not shown), the servomotor 4 including an encoder 5 as a position detector coupled to the shaft of the servomotor 4 for generating feedback pulses 8 as a feedback signal, and 7 an up/down counter for counting feedback pulses 8, the count being read by the command processor 2.
  • For numerical control apparatus and the like, there are demands for higher positioning accuracy and higher pulse distribution rate. The conventional systems find difficulty in meeting such demands.
  • More specifically, the pulse distribution rate of the conventional systems is of the order of 1 MHz because of the characteristics of the transmission path for feedback pulses. The rate of the resolution "0.1 micron/pulse" at the pulse distribution rate is given by:
    Figure imgb0001
    0.1 x 10-6 indicates a numerical value representing "0.1 micron/pulse" in terms of m (meter), 106 indicates the transmission rate for feedback pulses (1 MHz expressed by pps), and 60 indicates a numerical value for conversion to a value per minute. From the above equation, the speed of movement of the movable unit is 6 m/minute, indicating a problem that a sufficiently high speed cannot be obtained.
    • Disclosure of the Invention
  • It is an object of the present invention to provide a positioning system which will solve the aforesaid problems and is capable of high-speed positioning operation even at highly accurate resolution.
  • To solve the above problems, there is provided in accordance with the present invention a positioning system comprising a servomotor rotatable in response to a command value for moving a movable unit, command means for comparing a feedback signal from a position detector mounted on said servomotor or said movable unit with the command value to issue a servo command value, and positional information generating means for generating a positional information signal indicative of positional information on said servomotor or said movable unit, the arrangement being such that the positional information siganl from said positional information generating means is fed back to said command means for positioning operation.
  • Since the feedback signal is a positional information signal for the servomotor or the movable unit, this signal is read at given periods by a command processor which calculates the distance by which the movable unit is moved from a preceding positional information signal.
  • For example, assuming that the resolution is 0.1 micron/pulse and the maximum range of movement of the movable unit is 100 m, the range may be expressed in the binary notation as follows:
    Figure imgb0002
    and hence can be represented in 30 bits. If the sampling period of the command processor is 1 ms, then the pulse transmission rate may be 30 bits per 1 ms,
    Figure imgb0003
    Therefore, the feedback signal can be transmitted at a sufficiently low transmission rate.
    • Brief Description of the Drawings
    • FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a positioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
    • FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an encoder; and
    • FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional positioning system.
    Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
  • An embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in specific detail with reference to the drawings.
  • FIG. 1 shows in block form a positioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Designated in FIG. 1 at 1 is a pulse distributor for generating distribution pulses in response to a tape input or the like, 2 a command processor for comparing pulses from the pulse distributor 1 and feedback pulses to issue a servo command signal, and 3 a servoamplifier responsive to a servo command signal from the command processor 2 for driving a servomotor 4 to actuate a movable unit (not shown), the servomotor 4 including an encoder 5 as a position detector coupled to the shaft of the servomotor 4. The encoder 5 includes a counter for counting the amount of movement, and a parallel-serial converter for converting the count of the counter to a serial signal. The servomotor 4 generates a feedback signal 6 indicative of the present position of the movable unit. The feedback signal 6 is shown here as an 8-bit signal for convenience. A serial-parallel converter 7 is responsive to the serial feedback signal 6 for converting the same to a parallel signal. The command processor 2 reads the parallel signal, i.e., the present position of the movable unit, calculates the difference between the present position thus read and the present position in the preceding cycle to detect the amount of movement of the movable unit, compares the detected amount of movement and a command value from the pulse generator 1 to find a servo command value, and then issue the servo command value.
  • The arrangement of the encoder 5 will be described below. FIG. 2 shows the encoder 5 in block form. Denoted in FIG. 2 at 51 is an encloder proper for issuing pulses proportional to the amount of rotation of the servomotor, 52 an up/down counter for counting the pulses from the encoder proper and issues a value indicative of the count, and 53 a parallel-serial converter for reading the output from the up/down counter 52, converting the read output to a serial signal, and issuing the serial signal, which is shown as an 8-bit serial signal for convenience.
  • Since the feedback signal is used as a present position signal in the present embodiment, the transmission rate for the feedback signal may be low as compared with the pulse feedback signal, and a wide choice is available of constants of filters for preventing noise in the transmission path, resulting in increased reliability of the transmission.path.
  • While the encoder coupled to the servomotor is used as a position detector in the above embodiment, the encoder may be coupled to a ball screw or the like of the movable unit separately from the servomotor. Instead of the encoder, a resolver, an electromagnetic linear scale, an optical linear scale, or the like may be employed as a position detector.
  • The present position of the movable unit is used as a positional information signal in the above embodiment. However, the amount by which the movable unit is moved in a certain period of time may be detected by the encoder 5 and may be used as a positional information signal.
  • With the present invention, as described above, the positioning feedback signal is used as a positional information signal representing positional information. Therefore, a high speed of movement is made possible at high resolution even if the transmission rate along the feedback transmission path is low. Moreover, the reliability of the transmission path for the feedback signal is increased.

Claims (5)

1. A positioning system comprising a servomotor rotatable in response to a command value for moving a movable unit, command means for comparing a feedback signal from a position detector mounted on said servomotor or said movable unit with the command value to issue a servo command value, and positional information generating means for generating a positional information signal indicative of positional information on said servomotor or said movable unit, the arrangement being such that the positional information siganl from said positional information generating means is fed back to said command means for positioning operation.
2. A positioning system according to claim 1, wherein said positional information signal represents a present position of said movable unit or said servomotor.
3. A positioning system according to claim 1, wherein said positional information signal represents the amount by which said movable unit or said servomotor is moved in a given period of time.
4. A positioning system according to claim 1, wherein said positional information signal is fed back as a serial signal.
5. A positioning system according to claim 1, wherein said positional information signal is obtained by counting an output from an encoder.
EP87903402A 1986-05-29 1987-05-16 Positioning system Expired - Lifetime EP0267966B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP124235/86 1986-05-29
JP61124235A JPS62280907A (en) 1986-05-29 1986-05-29 Positioning system

Publications (3)

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EP0267966A1 true EP0267966A1 (en) 1988-05-25
EP0267966A4 EP0267966A4 (en) 1990-02-06
EP0267966B1 EP0267966B1 (en) 1993-09-01

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EP87903402A Expired - Lifetime EP0267966B1 (en) 1986-05-29 1987-05-16 Positioning system

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US (1) US4855657A (en)
EP (1) EP0267966B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS62280907A (en)
DE (1) DE3787252T2 (en)
WO (1) WO1987007404A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0650107A1 (en) * 1993-10-22 1995-04-26 Tornado Antriebstechnik GmbH Control system for motorized drives
WO2004042910A2 (en) * 2002-11-04 2004-05-21 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Electric motor control system including position determination and error correction

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JP2997270B2 (en) * 1988-01-19 2000-01-11 ファナック株式会社 Interpolation method
JPH0261701A (en) * 1988-08-29 1990-03-01 Fanuc Ltd Numerical controller
US5132602A (en) * 1990-10-02 1992-07-21 Calsonic International, Inc. Actuator positioning apparatus
JP2677016B2 (en) * 1990-11-30 1997-11-17 三菱電機株式会社 Numerical control unit
KR0165426B1 (en) * 1995-08-24 1999-02-01 김광호 Working area control method of a machine
JP2000006070A (en) * 1998-06-19 2000-01-11 Fanuc Ltd Robot control system
JP2001166805A (en) * 1999-12-13 2001-06-22 Toshiba Mach Co Ltd Method for setting up lost motion correction value of hybrid control type machine tool, computer-readable recording medium recording program for allowing computer to execute the method, and numerically controlled machine tool
IL136016A (en) * 2000-05-08 2005-11-20 Yaskawa Eshed Technology Ltd High sensor resolution position sensor device and method
JP2004103116A (en) * 2002-09-10 2004-04-02 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Semiconductor device
JP3995577B2 (en) * 2002-10-07 2007-10-24 松下電器産業株式会社 Data transmission processing apparatus and program

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US4086470A (en) * 1976-12-27 1978-04-25 International Business Machines Corporation Hardware-software counting

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JPS60129803A (en) * 1983-12-19 1985-07-11 Komatsu Ltd Method for detecting location detecting error of control system
JPS61157284A (en) * 1984-12-27 1986-07-16 Fanuc Ltd Drive control system of servo motor
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DE2150397B1 (en) * 1971-10-09 1973-03-01 Licentia Gmbh Numerical machine control
US4086470A (en) * 1976-12-27 1978-04-25 International Business Machines Corporation Hardware-software counting

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Title
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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0650107A1 (en) * 1993-10-22 1995-04-26 Tornado Antriebstechnik GmbH Control system for motorized drives
WO2004042910A2 (en) * 2002-11-04 2004-05-21 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Electric motor control system including position determination and error correction
WO2004042910A3 (en) * 2002-11-04 2004-09-30 Hamilton Sundstrand Corp Electric motor control system including position determination and error correction
US7362070B2 (en) 2002-11-04 2008-04-22 Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Electric motor control system including position determination and error correction

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0267966A4 (en) 1990-02-06
EP0267966B1 (en) 1993-09-01
JPS62280907A (en) 1987-12-05
US4855657A (en) 1989-08-08
DE3787252T2 (en) 1993-12-16
WO1987007404A1 (en) 1987-12-03
DE3787252D1 (en) 1993-10-07

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